


us? dating?

by dreamersball



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, AtLA, F/F, Mutual Pining, azula is a dumb lesbian, ty lee isn't smart either, tyzula baby!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26133688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamersball/pseuds/dreamersball
Summary: “it’s not a double date, we’re just third and fourth wheeling”suki and sokka meddling in ty lee and azula.college tyzula.
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 199





	1. the plan

**Author's Note:**

> i love the idea of the suki/tyzula friendship and meddling. enjoy. i own nothing.

suki has had it up to _here_ with ty lee and azula. sure, they were her best friends; but for agni’s sake were they _frustrating._

first of all, they weren’t even discrete with their “secret” heart eyes and love-drunk smiles. if they could make it more of a challenge to figure out, suki would be having more fun. 

because now, the pair flirt endlessly with each other; and both refuse to make a move on either person. 

(spoiler alert, they’re both gay and can’t believe that one might like the other)

now suki and sokka were both bisexual, but at least they dove headfirst and admitted their feelings. suki had such high hopes for ty lee- confident, bisexual, carefree ty lee- to admit her feelings for azula. azula, the lesbian that suddenly forgets her own name when a pretty girl flirts with her.

(suki can name at least six instances that it has happened)

but no, ty lee refuses to believe that azula could feel the same. after lots of coaxing, wine drunk confessions, and tearful nights; suki knows at least one thing.

_ty lee is in love with azula._

and because suki can never catch a break, she was in the same predicament with azula. azula was harder to crack- the girl didn’t respond to casual conversations or even wine nights. suki had to dig deep and coax the confession out of azula. 

(un)luckily, the night azula tearfully told suki about her feelings for ty lee; was the night ty lee made out with chan at a party. and of course, suki had to prevent azula from putting her fist through the wall or chan’s mouth.

_azula is in love with ty lee._

mutual attraction and feelings should easily transition into a relationship, correct? 

of course not. why would this unofficial matchmaking be easy for suki? 

suki needed a plan. she needed a way to force these two lovesick fools together- before she loses her head.

and who better to go to for a plan than her boyfriend, the mastermind himself? 

—-

“okay, stay with me suki, here’s what i’m thinking”. 

suki was sitting up in her bed, while sokka laid his head on her lap. she was playing with sokka’s hair while the boy started his “operation: girls kiss” plan. he was still clad in all of his water tribe winter clothing, even though suki had the heater blasting. 

(she loved her boyfriend so much but he was ridiculous)

“i’m all ears sokka. lay it out”.

the boy sat up, disrupting the fishtail braid she was attempting to finish. before suki could gripe about it, she saw the glint of brilliance in his eyes, and she knew something good was going to happen. 

“we need to go on a date”.

suki was floored. her boyfriend's best matchmaking plan was the pair of them going on a _date?_

he seemed to sense her confusion and borderline annoyance. “okay okay, i know what you’re thinking. _sokka, we’re already happily in love and dating! how will that save our friends hopeless devotion to each other?”_ sokka said, mimicking suki’s voice.

(she stuck her tongue out and smacked him lightly on the thigh) 

sokka laughed, dodging her second smack. “anyways, we go on a double date. but-“ he paused.

suki leaned forward, waiting for him to finish.

he leaned in too, as if he was about to tell her a secret. sokka looked from side to side, a grin slowly spreading across his face. 

…” _we don’t tell them it’s a DOUBLE date”._

suki reeled back. sokka only smiled bigger, his pride growing by the second.

she placed her hands on her hips, fully bewildered on how the plan would work. “that is so-“

“-brilliant, i know. it’ll work great!”

suki face palmed while sokka did a victory dance. 

it’s a good thing her boyfriend was pretty. 

——

“ _ice skating?_ you know _i_ can’t ice skate suki!” azula exclaimed, throwing down her chopsticks.

suki, on sokka’s orders, was to ask azula to come ice skating with the couple. sokka would handle ty lee. 

( _they can’t know that the other is coming, or the plan won’t work!_ he emphasized). 

so, suki chose a neutral spot to ask the fire bender out. she knew azula didn’t take well to hanging out in cold areas- she was a fire prodigy for agni’s sake and the last time they built a snowman ended up with a melted pile of snow and burnt grass. 

suki decided she’d take azula out to her favorite restaurant- _Republic City Grille-_ and buy her meal for her. there she will break the news that azula really didn’t have any choice is coming out with them.

(she loved the stupid fire bender but she was so dramatic).

suki picked up the chopsticks that were slightly scorched, and gently placed them back on azula’s plate.

“listen, it will be fun. just you, me, and sokka. just like the old days! we haven’t hung out together in _so_ long.” she said, slightly pouting for empathy’s sake.

azula’s piercing eyes started to soften. the fire bender uncrossed her arms, and began to loosen up.

“again, i can’t ice skate. you have to promise you’ll help me stay up, okay? or i’ll scorch the ice rink again,” azula said, her eyes narrowing.

suki grinned, satisfied. perhaps this plan would work after all. 

“oh don’t worry _princess_ , you’ll be helped along just fine.”

suki giggled and dodged as azula tossed a piece of salmon at her. 

“i told you not to call me _princess!_ ”

——

_sword-boy:_

_How did it go?_

_fan girl:_

_pretty easy. princess flame is on board._

_how about the acrobat?_

_sword-boy:_

_Easy. She loves plans._

_I told you this would work._

  
  


_fan girl:_

_yeah yeah don’t get ahead of yourself_

_when can i change your name back in my phone?_

_sword-boy:_

_Never. Sword is forever._

_fan girl:_

_i hate you <3 _

_sword-boy_

_Hey :(_

_Right back at you <3 _

  
  


——

azula hated the cold. she was a prodigy _fire bender_ for crying out loud.

but suki was right. the trio hasn’t hung out in a while. ever since college applications sprung up and the pressure to pick a good school arose; they hadn’t hung out in awhile. plus, azula had to work like a madman. 

it would be good for her, she supposed. to be out and about. but it does suck that she’s third wheeling again. 

_if only…._

no, she wouldn’t entertain that silly idea again. her crush, ty lee, was with chan. ever since that party where they displayed some public displays of affection (as one might say), azula’s hopes were crushed. her future was sealed to be lonely and empty. 

at least she still had suki and sokka though. and mai, when mai wasn’t busy hanging out with her brother. 

azula pulled on a chunky maroon sweater, with a pair of dark blue boyfriend jeans. she wasn’t very fond of the color blue, but since she was going to be spending a day in the rink, she might as well dress for the occasion.

she didn’t really believe that she would need any makeup, as she wasn’t going to see anyone she needed to impress. girls didn’t like her back anyways. she settled on light blush and mascara. 

just as she finished brushing her hair out to stay long and straight, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. 

_be outside in 5. sokka is driving and he wants to be there on time!!!_

azula rolled her eyes. the water tribe boy had grown on her, but he was always so wound up. 

anyways, he needed to calm down. going ice skating wasn’t a life changing event. it was just a hang-out. 

azula slipped out of her room, quietly, trying to sneak out before zuko caught her and asked her two thousand questions.

(she was grateful that he let her live in his apartment, but the boy talked too much). 

she carefully closed the front door behind her, just as the dark blue mini van pulled up in front of her complex. azula waved to the smiling boy and a nervous looking suki. 

wait. _nervous?_

the side door began to automatically open, and just as azula was about to question suki on why she looked like she was hiding something; azula saw why.

sitting behind sokka, was ty lee.

the girl looked just as surprised as azula felt, the pink blush on the acrobat’s face beginning to match her pink cardigan.

both of them locked eyes, realization hitting.

“ _suki!”_

_“sokka!”_


	2. enchanted (to meet you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a taylor swift song and dimmed lights should do the trick, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by "enchanted" by taylor swift and my own romantic projections. i own nothing.

this was the worst car ride suki had ever experienced. and that’s saying something. she had been in the car with aang and katara when they broke up for the first time; aang’s sobbing and katara’s brewing anger stifled the small buggy. suki never thought she would get home alive.

but this situation was _way_ worse. sokka had seemed to underestimate azula’s silent, simmering anger; and ty lee’s knack for a killer silent treatment.

(although, it was funny to see that neither girl would look at each other, rather opting to stare out the window)

(ty lee would steal glances when azula wasn’t looking and vice versa) 

sokka flashed suki a small smile, mouthing _it will work out ok? trust me._

suki rolled her eyes, but patted sokka on the shoulder lightly. this was going to be a long night.

after what felt like sixteen hours in the minivan, sokka finally pulled up to the _Southern Spirits Arena._ it was his old hockey arena when he played, but quit after he decided throwing boomerangs was more fun than shooting pucks.

sokka turned the car off, jumped out, and made his way over to open suki’s door. she hugged her goofy boyfriend, and waited for the two girls to exit the car. azula slunk out, arms crossed. her eyes were narrowed at suki.

ty lee instead bounced out of the car, a small grin on her face. she glared at sokka momentarily, but looked pretty thrilled otherwise.

(huh. maybe it will work)

sokka led them to the arena, through the skate checkout, and picked an empty locker room for them to change their shoes in. 

sokka tied suki and ty lee’ skates, eventually tying azula’s after she griped that _she could do it_ until she really couldn’t. 

(it happened every single time, the headstrong fire bender wouldn’t admit defeat until she truly was defeated)

sokka then ushered them into the arena, and suki finally saw why her boyfriend was in such a hurry. 

the arena was decorated with blue and white streamers, stars were dangling from the ceiling, and the lights were tinted light blue.

a banner above the entrance read: _The Southern Lights Couples Skate._

it was a couples skate. this boy was insane. 

just as sokka was about to ease onto the ice with suki, a worker quickly ran over to them, holding glow sticks.

“hey you two! would you both like glow sticks to wear when we do the lights-out skate?” 

sokka chose a green one for suki and a blue one for himself. he leaned in and loudly whispered to the worker, “get a pink one for the girl with the braid and a red one for the angry one. it’s their first date”.

immediately, the two girls began to panic and talk over each other. 

“what? sokka!” azula hissed. 

“this isn’t a date we’re just, uh, we’re just-“ ty lee stammered. 

“-“it’s not a double date, we’re just third and fourth wheeling” azula finished, looking mildly proud with what she came up with.

(neither girl seemed to notice that during their squabbling, suki and sokka slipped onto the ice, skating away as fast as they could) 

the overwhelmed worker just gingerly handed both girl a single glow stick, and quickly walked away as fast as they could.

azula then noticed that sokka had left her, and suki was nowhere to be seen.

“son of a bitch!”

—-

azula was royally fucked. again. 

she could not skate, for the life of her. she was a _fire bender._ did no one understand that? she didn’t know what to do with water, or frozen water for that matter. especially on ice skates! these were shoes with metal blades that determined whether she would die or not.

not to mention, her perfectionist attitude was shaken at the idea of failing. especially failing in front of the girl she really liked.

as if to mock her, sokka skated past the entrance again, flashing a smirk at her. suki came up behind him, waving apologetically.

azula balled her hands up at her side, positively fuming.

she felt a hand close around her wrist, and she stiffened up even more. she knew ty lee wanted to go skate. 

“azula? do you want to go skate now or stand in front of the entrance all day?” the girl tentatively asked. 

azula sighed, she knew she had to own up to her failure now.

“i can’t”

ty lee got in front of azula, grabbing both of her hands. the gymnast’s grey eyes softened, and azula tried _so hard_ not to stare into them. they were just so kind and caring- something azula wanted. 

  
  


“what do you mean you can’t? did sokka not tie your skates tight enough? do you need me to tie them again? are you cold? you can wear my coat if you want-”

azula cut the girl off by putting her hand over her mouth. ty lee looked miffed at being hushed, but her eyes softened even more.

azula spoke quickly, mumbling slightly. “um i can’t skate at all and suki promised to skate with me but she left so i can’t skate but you can go i’ll stay here.”

ty lee blinked at her, and started to giggle uncontrollably. 

“why are you laughing? i’m serious!” azula snapped, confused and enraged.

ty lee kept giggling, swatting at azula’s shoulder. 

the fire bender was absolutely blown away. what has gotten into this girl? she _can’t_ skate. ty lee would have to go without her.

the gymnast finally stopped laughing, wiping at her eyes. “you’re such an idiot sometimes, azula”.

“ _excuse me?”_

ty lee grabbed azula’s hands and began to pull her towards the ice. azula immediately tried to yank back, she was _not_ about to go onto the sheet of death.

but ty lee won, as she finally pulled a shaking azula onto the ice. 

azula wobbled violently on her skates, nearly toppling over. ty lee put her arm around azula’s waist, steadying her.

“looks like we will have to skate together, princess. it’s a couples skate, after all.” the gymnast said sweetly, holding azula close to her body.

(azula was on fire, everything was warm. why was it so warm? it is a skating rink? was her face always so hot?)

“i- uh, yeah, together?” she stumbled out.

ty lee only laughed again, gently skating with the dumbstruck azula.

——

suki and sokka exited the ice about half an hour after watching ty lee and azula struggle onto it. suki slipped up to sit in the bleachers, while sokka fetched some hot chocolate. they had a feeling they would be there for a while.

  
  


——

ty lee had stars in her eyes. she had never felt lighter. she was absolutely enchanted by azula, and the impromptu date they were forced onto.

as azula predicted, she was disastrously bad. she was a horrendous skater, and had nearly killed both of them by yanking ty lee down every time azula wobbled on the ice. 

(there was also a small burnt spot in the ice, that was now a puddle of water)

but, again, she was absolutely enchanted. though the night started off very rocky- she was enthralled by azula. she always has been.

the golden eyes that were usually hard, always were tame and soft with ty lee. azula always showed her kinder side with ty lee, whether that was coincidental or not, ty lee took it as a sign.

that perhaps, the obvious meddling between them and sokka/suki; was the sign that ty lee needed to make her move. 

(she was fifty percent sure azula would say yes)

it also helped that the mood in the rink was perfect. somehow, the lights were dimmed just enough, the dangling stars from the ceiling mimicked the night sky, and the ice was practically empty of couples.

and of course, ty lee’s favorite song was playing. 

(ty lee knew it was _really_ time to act) 

as they skated (very, very slowly) another lap, ty lee pulled azula into one of the “corners” of the rink. azula wobbled hard, grasping for ty lee’s arms and sleeves. ty lee pulled her close, into a hug.

azula froze, stiff against her body. taylor swift’s _enchanted_ played in the background. 

_this night is sparkling, don't you let it go._

ty lee gently let go of the girl, still holding onto her forearms. she reached out with her right hand, pushing back a piece of hair that was astray on azula’s forehead. 

azula watched every move, her pale face growing crimson. ty lee could look at her beautiful face all the time.

_i’m wonder struck, blushing all the way home._

azula’s golden eyes narrowed slightly, her lips parted open just a tad. ty lee knew it was now or never.

“azula, i think you know this isn’t us third and fourth wheeling, it never was”. 

the girl took a sharp breath in, eyes wild. as if she couldn’t believe that _this wasn’t a date._

ty lee rambled on, trying to get herself to say the words she wanted to.

“i really like you. as a friend, of course but-” 

azula leaned back, as if she was slapped.

_i’ll spend forever wondering if you knew._

“-but i really like you more than that. did you know that? i’ve liked you for a long time. a really long time.”

(ty lee bit her tongue hard, trying not to say _love_ ) 

azula’s eyes softened, her grip on ty lee’s arms grew tighter. 

“i really like you too, did you know that?” the girl softly said, licking her lips nervously.

ty lee’s heart burst, and she grasped azula in a sudden hug. the girl this time reciprocated, hugging her fiercely back. 

the gymnast softly whispered into azula’s ear, happy tears coming down her face.

“will you be my girlfriend?”

azula laughed, the echo sounding a bit watered. “thank god you asked. of course”

_i was enchanted to meet you._

—-

in the bleachers, suki was clapping softly to herself. well, more like high fiving herself. she would high-five her boyfriend, but he was sobbing quietly into his mittens.

“su-suki have you ever seen something so _beautiful?_ ” he gasped, wiping his nose into his sleeve.

suki sympathetically patted his back. “i would hope you would say _me_ as the most beautiful thing,” she deadpanned.

sokka waved a dismissive hand at her, as if she was being silly. “yeah, sure, but look at _them”._

suki smiled, looking across the ice and the two girls. they were swaying softly to the taylor swift song still playing; azula gripping onto ty lee for dear life, while ty lee held her stable.

“yeah. look at them,”.

_this was the very first page._

“you can thank me for the plan now, you know. it’s later”. sokka said, gleefully.

suki rolled her eyes, and hugged her boyfriend. “good job sokka. i’m proud of you.”

“i know,”.

_not where the story line ends._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! i am doing my best to keep things up as college continues. thank you again!

**Author's Note:**

> more works will be posted as the week progresses, along with the second chapter. i've been stopped by packing and such, i'm sorry about that. thank you for reading!


End file.
